1. Field of Invention.
This invention relates to an improved paper and coin currency totalizer for being installed on an existing vending machine and to the method of converting an existing vending machine to enable paper currency and coin currency to be used to allow an item in the existing vending machine to be dispensed therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
There exists numerous types of vending machines for cigarettes, candy, snacks, soft drinks, etc. which include a wide array of electronic and mechanical means for facilitating the proper dispensing of the items therein. Recent innovations in coin or paper currency verification and totalization devices have been introduced into the vending machine field. A similar wide array of electronic dispensing mechanisms have been increasingly employed in various vending machines for the actual control of the dispensing of the items from such machines. While such improvements in both dispensing mechanisms and currency totalizers for such machines have resulted in an introduction of new, improved vending machines which could be utilized throughout the vending field, there remains an interest in older, and, in some cases, obsolete vending machines because of the cost of the newer machines as compared to a possible conversion of older, existing machines.
Historically, prior to the introduction of electronics to the vending machine field, most vending machines included mechanical coin currency totalizers and mechanical means for dispensing items therefrom. While there has clearly been a conversion from such mechanical totalizers and mechanical dispensing mechanisms in, for example, the soft drink vending field, mechanical totalizers and mechanical dispensing mechanisms for vending machines in the cigarette vending art have remained quite popular.
Although there are numerous electronically controlled cigarette vending machines with electronic currency totalizers, they tend to be quite expensive and require a significant investment to replace older, existing mechanical cigarette vending machines. In fact, if the cost of cigarettes were to have remained relatively low, it is questionable whether there would be any significant replacement of older mechanical cigarette vending machines by the newer electronic cigarette vending machines.
Some mechanical cigarette vending machines have proven to be quite reliable and relatively inexpensive to maintain. One type of vending machine which continues to be widely accepted in the cigarette vending field is produced by National Vendors of St. Louis, Mo. The basic mechanical dispensing mechanisms in the machines for physically dispensing the cigarettes were developed many years ago and have been sold and maintained, for example, under the names Crown Line, Series 800; Crown Line, Cabaret 800; Crown Elite 222; and Golden Cabaret 222 by National Vendors. Such cigarette vending machines typically include a coin receiving slot on the face thereof and employ a series of mechanical selection knobs. The selection knobs are respectively aligned with stacks of cigarette packs stored within the machine and are capable of being pulled to dispense a single pack after the proper amount of coin currency has been deposited in the slot. In order to control the mechanical dispensing mechanism, National Vendors, Inc. has provided such machines with various types of mechanical coin recorders or totalizer units. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,935,170; 2,993,581; and 3,028,940, which were assigned to National Vendors, Inc. of St. Louis, Mo. disclose the evolution in the design of such mechanical dispensing mechanisms and such mechanical coin totalizer units for the control and operation of the mechanical cigarette vending machines.
The present invention is directed to the modification of one particular series of mechanical coin totalizer units, which have been provided by National Vendors, Inc., and are particularly adapted to be utilized in numerous existing vending machines which employ mechanical dispensing mechanisms. While the specific mechanical coin totalizer unit will be disclosed in detail in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment, it is significant to note that some of the features therein are specifically disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,581 and 3,028,940.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940, which is entitled "Coin Apparatus", discloses a comparable mechanical coin totalizer unit and how it is configured to cooperate with the typical mechanical dispensing mechanisms which have been widely accepted and utilized in the cigarette vending field. U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940 includes specific references to U.S. Pat. No. 2,993,581, which is also entitled "Coin Apparatus" but discloses features of the mechanical dispensing mechanisms which have been widely accepted in the cigarette vending field and are well-known in the vending art. Significantly, both the devices shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,581 and 3,028,940 include a series of three release means which provide a lockout means to prevent the dispensing of a pack of cigarettes if the proper amount of coin currency has not been deposited in the coin slot for passage through the mechanical coin totalizer unit. Upon movement of the release means to the release position after the proper amount of coin currency is provided, the last amount of pulling movement of the cigarette pack selection knob will physically dispense the selected pack of cigarettes. Specifically, three such release means have been provided because the cigarette vending machines were configured to include cigarette packs having three different prices to accommodate various types of cigarettes being sold during the early use of such machines.
The preferred machines disclosed in the above mentioned patents include mechanical coin totalizer units having the primary purpose of mechanically determining if the proper amount of coin currency has been deposited in the coin slot for the purchase of a pack of cigarettes. The coin totalizer unit not only includes means for mechanically totaling the coin currency deposited but also includes three separate means for being selectively adjusted for three different currency values, as mentioned above, to specifically allow a selected pack of cigarettes, depending on its particular value, to be dispensed.
The totalizer unit of U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940 is mounted within the machine at an outside wall adjacent to the above mentioned release means. The mechanical totalizer unit includes vertical inside and outside plates which are spaced one from the other and parallel to the side wall of the machine. A coin chute assembly is mounted between the plates. The assembly includes a nickel chute, a dime chute and a quarter chute. The chutes have an elongated generally rectangular cross section corresponding to the size of coin currency to be passed therethrough and are located side-by-side in a flatwise parallel relation with the dime chute being located between the nickel and quarter chutes.
Each of the plates forming the walls of the chutes is slotted to provide an arcuate slot through the entire coin chute assembly. A portion of the arcuate slot registers with the nickel chute at the upper end thereof and has a length approximately one-fifth of the entire length of the arcuate slot. The arcuate slot registers with the dime chute from its upper end through a portion of the arcuate slot having a length approximately twice the length of the portion in the nickel chute. It also registers with the quarter chute through the entire length which is about five times the length of the portion of the arcuate slot for the nickel chute.
Although the coin chute assembly of the vending machines has chutes for nickels, dimes and quarters, it should be recognized that each coin directed to its respective chute will enter a coin selector and slug rejecter device mounted above the totalizer unit to deliver nickels to the nickel chute, dimes to the dime chute and quarters to the quarter chute. The coin selector and slug rejecter device is not specifically shown or described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940. Such coin selector and slug rejecter devices are well known in the vending field and are outside of the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Generally, the coin selector and slug rejecter device acts to reject coins of improper denominations, such as pennies, and other spurious coins. The rejected coins drop out of the device through a separate chute. Various coin selector and slug rejecter devices are suitable for use in both the prior art vending machines and the vending machine of the present invention, are well known and could include, for example, a device similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,628.
The coin recorder mechanism of the totalizer unit includes a primary shaft which is journaled to the inside and outside plates of the unit. The center of the arcuate slot is at the axis of the primary shaft. The coin recorder mechanism is driven by a trip wire which is fixed to the shaft to produce rotation thereof. The end of the trip wire includes a finger which extends into the common arcuate slot to intersect and extend across each of the coin receiving chutes. Basically, the trip wire is biased to swing upward to a raised or retracted position prior to the insertion of each individual coin. The trip wire will be moved in a downward direction under the weight of each coin as it is deposited in its respective chute. The actual amount of movement of the trip wire, and thus the shaft to which it is attached, will depend on the particular denomination of coin deposited in the respective chutes.
Although it is clearly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940, it is appropriate to understand that the particular amount of rotational movement of the wire and associated shaft produces a registered, rotational movement of a ratchet wheel which are mounted on the shaft within the interior of the coin recorder mechanism. Consequently, any coin whether a nickel, dime or quarter falling through its respective chute engages the finger on the trip wire and swings the wire downward against the biasing of the spring. A nickel falling in the nickel chute swings the wire down through the particular arc discussed hereinabove to a point where the finger passes out of the nickel chute and the nickel rides over the finger, continues to fall and exits from the lower end of the nickel chute. Similarly, a dime falling into the dime chute swings the wire downward through an arc which is twice as large as that for the nickel chute until the finger passes out of the dime chute and the dime rides off the finger, continues its fall and exits from the lower end of the dime chute. A quarter falling into the quarter chute swings the wire downward through an arc five times as large as that of the nickel chute and in a similar manner falls and exits from the lower end of the quarter chute after the appropriate movement of the trip wire.
Upon the downward swing of the trip wire, the ratchet wheel mounted on the shaft is rotated through a corresponding distance. After the coin releases the finger of the trip wire, the trip wire returns to the upward position with the ratchet wheel being retained in the particular rotational position by a retaining pawl which engages the teeth at the outer edge of the ratchet wheel. Clearly, as each additional coin is deposited in its appropriate chute, a corresponding mechanical ratcheting of the ratchet wheel will produce additional rotational movement and positioning of the ratchet wheel. With each tooth provided on the ratchet wheel representing each nickel value of the coin currency, the ratchet wheel is rotationally advanced according to the denomination of the coin currency deposited in the chutes. Specifically, the ratchet wheel is held in an advanced position against the biasing of a ratchet return spring by both a driving pawl and a retaining pawl. While there is included means for returning the ratchet wheel to its "zero" position after a pack of cigarettes has been removed from the machine, it is most significant to understand that rotational position of the ratchet wheel, at any time after the insertion of some coins during the selection process, corresponds to the total amount of coin currency deposited in the slot.
Secured to the ratchet wheel for basic rotation therewith is a disc assembly which includes three separate discs. Each disc is adapted to be selectively positioned relative to the ratchet wheel according to the amount of coin currency which is required for the different priced packs of cigarettes. The three discs in the disc assembly include notches having radial shoulders on the leading ends thereof. While the operation of such discs is disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,940, it is sufficient to know that with the proper amount of coin currency being deposited in the chutes, the discs, as selectively positioned for the amount desired, will have the notches thereof advanced to a position to allow movement of one end of a corresponding one of three latch release bars. The other end of each of the three latch release bars is basically coupled to a corresponding one of the three release latches of the totalizer unit which control the movement of the release means of the basic machine mentioned hereinabove. Each release latch, through the release means, provides the last secure lockout means for preventing the movement of a cigarette pack selection knob which would dispense the pack unless moved to the release position. Each of the latch release bars is mounted for relative alignment with an appropriate one of the discs so that that individual latch release bar will not be capable of producing corresponding movement of its respective release latch to the release position unless the notch on its particular disc is properly oriented by the deposit of the correct amount of coin currency. Full movement of the respective latch release bars is only initiated when the selection knob is being pulled.
As described, it would appear that movement of the cigarette pack selection knob is configured to dispense the particular pack of cigarettes if the release means is simply withdrawn to the release position by the release latch to allow the particular pack to be dispensed from the machine. However, in order to provide a preferred method of operation of the entire dispensing mechanism, there are other features which are included in order for the overall totalizer unit to operate in an effective and reliable manner. Accordingly, as a purchaser begins to pull the particular selection knob, other components within the totalizer unit produce the initial movement of each of the latch release bars. The latch release bars are basically biased away from the discs so that there is no mechanical, sliding contact therebetween until a particular selection knob is physically pulled by a purchaser with the intention of actually dispensing the selected pack of cigarettes. In other words, the initial movement of the selection knob produces an initial movement of the latch release bar against biasing to determine if the appropriate notch is properly aligned to allow continued movement of the latch release bar which would result in the movement of the release latch and the release means to the release position. If the selected knob is pulled prior to the proper amount of coin currency being deposited in the coin channels, the corresponding disc will not be properly oriented to align the notch to allow full movement of the latch release bar. If the proper amount of coin currency has not been received in the totalizer unit, continued movement of the selection knob which is needed to directly dispense the pack of cigarettes is prevented by the fact that the release latch of the totalizer unit and the release means of the basic machine has not been moved to the release position. If the proper amount of coin currency has passed through the coin chutes, the alignment of the notch on the disc allows full movement of the latch release bar to move the release latch, and thus the release means, to the release position and continued movement of the selection knob causes the selected pack of cigarettes to be dispensed.
When a purchaser releases the selection knob, additional mechanisms within the totalizer unit and within the vending machine itself, returns the ratchet wheel and discs to the "zero" position. When in the "zero" position, full movement of any of the selection knobs is prevented, because the release latches, and thus the release means, will not be returned to the release position until the proper amount of coin currency has been deposited through the chutes. Of course, the return of the selection knob to the non-selected position also allows each of the latch release bars to be biased to prevent any engagement with the respective discs until another selection is being made.
It should be recognized that U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,581 and 3,028,940 disclose specific mechanisms for initially producing the desired movement of the latch release bars upon the movement of the selection knob and particular linkage means for resetting the ratchet wheel and discs to the "zero" position after a selection has been made. The same functions are provided by different mechanisms in the preferred existing cigarette vending machine and will be specifically discussed in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments hereinbelow. In other words, although a detailed description of the particular components employed in the specific existing cigarette vending machine to be modified by the preferred apparatus and method is provided hereinbelow, the functions produced by those particular components are well known in the cigarette vending machine art and produced, for example, by other specific configurations in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,581 and 3,028,940.
As thus described, the basic devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,581 and 3,028,940 have been found to function properly and to insure the proper selection and dispensing of an appropriate pack of cigarettes. While these patents disclose mechanisms which were satisfactory, the preferred existing cigarette vending machine, which is to be specifically modified by the present invention, has experienced greater acceptance and use throughout the cigarette vending field. In either case, such mechanical vending machines would likely have continued to be extensively used in the cigarette vending field if it were not for the increasing cost of a pack of cigarettes.
For example, a preferred existing mechanical totalizer unit which has provided the same functions as those described hereinabove is described in detail hereinbelow. The existing mechanical totalizer unit to be modified by the present invention has been offered by National Vendors, Inc., under a number of different model numbers depending on the particular amount of money which may be selected for the cost of the various packs of cigarettes therein. For example, Series 560 ACMR, as manufactured, provided a price range from $0.05 through $0.60. The Series 100 ACMR and 5100 ACMR, had a price range from $0.05 through $1.00. The Series 130 ACMR included a price range of $0.05 through $1.30 while Series 160 ACMR had a price range from $0.05 through $1.60. Accordingly, while the basic mechanisms are the same, it can be seen that different ratchet wheel and disc configurations have been needed in these mechanical totalizer units because of the increasing cost of the packs of cigarettes to be dispensed thereby.
In fact, with still further increases in the cost of a basic pack of cigarettes, one major cigarette company has offered a means for physically replacing the disc assemblies provided by National Vendors, Inc. with a different disc assembly and a physical conversion of the quarter channel to produce a different amount of travel for the trip wire. As a result, the converted mechanical totalizer unit would function in a similar manner but has resulted in the totalizer unit being capable of receiving, in one case, up to $2.25 and, in another case, up to $2.60 in coins for the dispensing of packs of cigarettes at an increased cost.
In the meantime, National Vendors, Inc., also recognized the need for some other means to increase the amount of coin currency which can be selectively deposited in their existing cigarette vending machines. Consequently, National Vendors, Inc., introduced an electronic coin totalizer unit, such as the Series 600 Electronic ACMR unit, which could be mounted within the existing cigarette vending machines to replace the mechanical coin totalizer units discussed hereinabove. The new electronic coin totalizer unit was adapted to control the same type of mechanical dispensing mechanism including the release means discussed hereinabove.
The new electronic coin totalizer unit included different coin channel configurations and a different, electronic means for actually sensing the coin currency deposited therein. Nevertheless, the existing cigarette vending machines functioned in a similar manner and continued to rely upon the series of three release means which must still be moved to the release position to allow continued movement of the selection knob actually needed to dispense the selected pack of cigarettes. An alternative linkage within the electronic coin totalizer unit again allowed it to be returned to the "zero" position after a proper selection has been made and the selection knob is returned to the "non-selected" position. The Series 600 Electronic ACMR has a price range from $0.05 through $6.35. Accordingly, it would appear that owner-operators of the existing mechanical cigarette vending machines could provide a reasonable conversion thereof through the use of the electronic coin totalizer unit offered by National Vendors, Inc. Such a conversion would allow continued use of the reliable cigarette vending machines employing the mechanical dispensing mechanisms having the release means while being able to select an appropriate price range for the packs of cigarettes to be dispensed thereby.
It should be noted that the various models of the mechanical totalizer units, which were offered by National Vendors, Inc., and which were modified to accept more coin currency by the major cigarette company, were adapted and converted to allow a selection of higher prices for the packs of cigarettes but some of these higher prices are below the current prices of such cigarettes in the industry. Further, while there was some acceptance of the electronic coin totalizer unit offered by National Vendors, Inc., which would allow more coin currency to be deposited in the machine, the cost of completely replacing the mechanical totalizer unit with an electronic coin totalizer unit was relatively high. Consequently, some time ago, another company, Holiday Electronics of Phoenix, Ariz., offered a different conversion of the mechanical totalizer units of National Vendors, Inc. The conversion required removal of the mechanical coin recorder mechanism and replaced it with an electronic coin adding device. The conversion basically employed a similar trip wire configuration but included an electronic means for adding the coin currency and for selectively varying the price of the cigarettes. A similar mechanical operation of the remaining components of the mechanical totalizer unit is produced after the higher amount of coin currency has been deposited. The cost of a pack of cigarettes could be varied from $0.05 to $6.35. However, this conversion has had only limited success because of the questionable reliability of the electronic coin currency adding device.
If the various packs of cigarettes were to have remained at a relatively low cost, although still above that offered by some of the various mechanical totalizer units discussed above, one would assume that the entirely different electronic totalizer unit or the electronic coin adding device would provide an acceptable, satisfactory and convenient means for continued use of the basic existing vending machines having the reliable mechanical dispensing mechanisms. However, with the continued increase of the price of various packs of cigarettes, the amount of coin currency which is physically required for the dispensing of cigarettes has significantly increased. The actual physical amount of coin currency required has clearly discouraged use of any cigarette vending machine relying entirely on coin currency for the dispensing of packs of cigarettes thereby.
Because of the large amount of coin currency that is required for the purchase of cigarettes at the present time, a number of new cigarette vending machines have been introduced which include paper currency acceptance and verification units. If the price of a pack of cigarettes, for example, is $3.00, three one dollar bills can simply be deposited in the paper currency verification and totalizer portion of such new cigarette vending machines for the selection and dispensing of a pack of cigarettes therefrom. Most of these new cigarette vending machines also include coin currency depositing means so that either coin and/or paper currency can be deposited therein for the dispensing of packs of cigarettes. However, these new cigarette vending machines which are capable of receiving coin and/or paper currency are relatively expensive. Clearly, in order to provide such machines, owner-operators require a significant initial investment for the purchase of such machines and must accept the fact that the withdrawal of existing mechanical vending machines from service represents a total loss of such assets.
Another electronic totalizer unit was recently offered by WGB Manufacturing of Pittsburgh, Pa., under the Model No. ECKO 635 for use in the 222 and 800 series machines offered by National Vendors, Inc. However, the required physical modification of the mechanical coin totalizer units of National Vendors, Inc. was quite extensive for the owner-operators of cigarette vending machines in order to install the ECKO 635 conversion elements within the basic frame and housing of the mechanical coin totalizer unit. Basically, the major internal mechanisms had to be completely removed which often required the drilling out of original welds and the like. The conversion of the interior of the mechanical coin totalizer unit was so extensive that the only components which remained therein included the three release latches and some of the channeling means at the lower end thereof for the collection of coins and the return of coins to a return chute.
The ECKO 635 conversion allowed a total deposit of up to $6.35 and included the capability of adding a paper currency verification and sensing device if desired. With the interior components removed but the basic frame and housing of the mechanical coin totalizer unit being retained, the ECKO 635 conversion required an entirely new configuration of coin slots, a new electronic coin adding means in the form of a printed circuit board mounted within the housing of the mechanical totalizer unit, and an electrical actuation means for operating one of the release latches. The conversion to accept paper currency was made by an electrical coupling of a separate paper currency verification and sensing device to the basic printed circuit board of the ECKO 635 totalizer unit.
There has been little acceptance of the ECKO 635 electronic totalizer unit because of the extensive and time consuming conversion and numerous problems associated with its operation. For example, there was included no means for indicating the total amount of coins and/or paper currency which was deposited therein. Additionally, it was found that electronic noise was experienced within the printed circuit board located within the housing of the totalizer unit which occasionally resulted in giving a potential purchaser "free" credit for currency not actually deposited therein to allow improper dispensing of a pack of cigarettes from the vending machine. Some problems associated with the printed circuit board being installed within the housing of the totalizer unit might have occurred because of the excessive mechanical vibrations which occurred through repeated opening and closing of the door of the vending machine when adding packs of cigarettes to or removing coin or bill currency from the machine. The mechanical vibrations of such mechanically operated vending machines is quite extensive and tends to provide an unfavorable environment for the reliable operation of the printed circuit board. Additional problems resulted from the fact that the overall system allowed the return of coin currency but included no means for the return of bill currency if the purchaser chose not to make a selection after coin and paper currency had been deposited for the purchase of a pack of cigarettes. Accordingly, the ECKO 635 electronic totalizer unit by WBG Manufacturing is no longer being offered and is no longer considered an acceptable alternative for the conversion of existing vending machines.
As a result, owner-operators of cigarette vending machines have remained interested in a reliable means to accept paper currency but in continuing to use existing cigarette vending machines which employ the reliable mechanical dispensing mechanisms. There has remained a need for being able to reliably convert various vending machines which accepted coin currency to also be capable of accepting paper currency.
One such conversion has been offered by the Revenco Corporation of North Huntingdon, Pa., and sold under the trademark THE BILL COLLECTOR. THE BILL COLLECTOR basically includes a system which utilizes a separate box or housing attached to the outside of the existing cigarette vending machine. The separate box includes any one of numerous paper currency verification and recording devices which are well known in the vending field. The separate box also includes electronic control means, in the form of a specifically designed printed circuit board, to produce a particular electronic output signal indicative of the amount of paper currency deposited therein. However, such electronic circuitry in the printed circuit board would not be universally applicable for all cigarette vending machines. The electronic counting means therein produces an electronic output signal, however, which cannot be utilized in any of the mechanical coin totalizer units discussed hereinabove. The basic purpose of the paper currency receiving box is to include a means for "fooling" the existing electronic coin currency totalizer units in some of the existing cigarette vending machines. For example, the electronic coin currency totalizing function of the device sold by Holiday Electronics, Inc., includes electronic signaling means therein to indicate when an appropriate total amount of coin currency has been deposited in the mechanical totalizer unit. Accordingly, the electronic control means and printed circuit board of one model of the THE BILL COLLECTOR box is particularly adapted to provide an electronic signal to the electronic coin totalizer mechanism to "fool" the mechanism into believing that a proper amount of coin currency has been deposited even though the electronic signal is actually received from the attached box when an appropriate amount of paper currency has been deposited therein.
While the physical conversion to accept THE BILL COLLECTOR box is within the capability of most owner-operators of existing vending machines, it is relatively complicated and has lead to some difficulty. For example, some relatively difficult wire soldering of the small printed circuit board of the electronic coin adding device is required and, as mentioned above, the basic mechanism itself is not always considered that reliable. Therefore, while the use of the separate, attached box for the receipt of paper currency has been generally accepted, wide acceptance has not occurred because of the unreliable operation of the electronic coin adding device by Holiday Electronics, Inc., and the difficulty of producing a reliable solder on the small printed circuit board thereof.
The same model of THE BILL COLLECTOR box, which includes the same electronic control means and printed circuit board, could be used to produce a similar "fooling" of the electronic coin adding and counting function of the Series 600 Electronic ACMR models offered by National Vendors, Inc. However, the required soldering to the small printed circuit board is again very difficult and not always reliable. Once installed, the device functions in a similar manner as additional wiring to the printed circuit of the electronic totalizer unit provides additional electronic signals to produce the same results by the deposit of paper currency in the attached box as would otherwise be produced by the deposit of coin currency in the existing cigarette vending machine.
Accordingly, although there has been some acceptance of the general concept of providing a separate, attached box for the receipt of paper currency to convert various existing cigarette vending machines, the general acceptance has been limited because of the need for a particular electronic circuit and printed circuit board for the electronic coin adding devices or electronic coin currency totalizer units employed in a limited number of cigarette vending machines. The separate, attached box of THE BILL COLLECTOR system for the receipt of paper currency could not be employed with any such machine having a mechanical coin currency totalizer unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,671, entitled Paper Currency Accepter And Method Of Handling Paper Currency For Vending Machines And The Like, discloses a paper currency accepter which can be installed within the front panel of an existing vending machine. While the paper currency accepter is suggested to be used in conjunction with existing coin currency accepting means, the disclosure does not indicate how the existing coin mechanism can be altered or modified to operate in conjunction with the new paper currency accepter. Accordingly, while suggesting the use of such a paper currency accepter which may physically be capable of installation on the front panel of a vending machine, little information is provided to disclose or suggest to those skilled in the art how such a paper currency accepter can be actually employed in an existing vending machine for use in conjunction with the existing coin currency accepter thereof.
While it is clear that there has been an extensive and continuing evolution of cigarette vending machines, it should be recognized that the existing mechanical dispensing mechanisms and the existing mechanical totalizer units of the cigarette vending machines produced many years ago by National Vending, Inc., would probably still be extensively used if the basic cost of a pack of cigarettes had not increased. These older mechanical cigarette vending machines were considered to be extremely reliable and were widely accepted by many owner-operators in the cigarette vending field. Additionally, it should be noted that the owner-operators of cigarette vending machines have been quite familiar with and accustomed to adapting, repairing and maintaining such vending machines. In fact, with a conversion, either through the use of the electronic coin adding device by Holiday Electronics or the alteration to include the electronic totalizer unit in the form of Series 600 Electronic ACMR by National Vendors, Inc., many, if not all, of these owner-operators would typically remove the mechanical totalizer units or components thereof and simply "store them away" in inventory for possible use at a future date. Most owner-operators of various vending machines are quite accustomed to the conversion, alteration and repair of various types of vending machines and recognize that components removed from one vending machine, because of a conversion, could later be employed in the same or similar machines which might be converted at some future date.
Consequently, because of the wide acceptance and satisfaction of the types of existing mechanical cigarette vending machines discussed hereinabove, any means which could be introduced to allow a convenient conversion thereof for the receipt of coin currency and/or paper currency would be highly desirable. With most owner-operators of vending machines being capable of and interested in simple, reliable conversion of such vending machines, there would clearly be a desire to convert any existing machine rather than to purchase an entirely different vending machine requiring a significant investment.
It should be noted that the existing cigarette vending machines which generally employ the reliable mechanical dispensing mechanisms, which have been and are still being produced by National Vendors, Inc., are extensively used throughout the cigarette vending field. Some such machines have been in existence for thirty years or more and are quite satisfactory for the dispensing of packs of cigarettes therefrom if they can be properly regulated and controlled by the proper depositing of currency therein. It should also be noted that, although the specific mechanical totalizer units produced by National Vendors, Inc., Series 100, 130, 160, 560 and 5100 ACMR, are not being extensively used, those which have been mechanically converted to accept more coin currency by the conversion of the quarter chute are still in extensive use.
Accordingly, many, if not most, of the basic mechanical totalizer units originally sold by National Vendors, Inc., are still available from machines which can accept up to $2.25 or $2.60 or from storage by most owner-operators of vending machines. It should be understood that the number of such cigarette vending machines and mechanical totalizer units probably exceeds one million. In other words, although perhaps a million of such mechanical totalizer units are in existence, it appears doubtful that they would continue to be used in the future. Because of the increased cost of a pack of cigarettes, they would soon be considered obsolete for use in the existing vending machines which employ the reliable mechanical dispensing mechanisms of the type described hereinabove because the large amount of coin currency required is proving to be increasingly inconvenient and unacceptable. Clearly, any coin and/or paper currency totalizing system which could be employed while utilizing the mechanical totalizer unit or major portions thereof in the existing cigarette vending machines which employ the existing mechanical control mechanisms would be highly desirable.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,292,628; 2,935,170; 2,993,581; 3,028,940; and 4,884,671 are incorporated by reference as if included in their entirety herein.